In a Name
by savannahamminga
Summary: Due to a quirk of fate, or a butterfly's wing-beat, Levi was gifted a younger brother. Little did he know that his baby brother was a reincarnated spirit. Nanashi loves his older brother, but struggles with his fore-knowledge. It's a good thing he has three special brats to help him out. The world would never be the same once they are through with it.
1. Prologue: Nanashi

In a Name

I know, I suck! Starting this when I have other fanfic's to complete. I can't help it! AoT is my love at the moment. This popped into my head and wouldn't leave, so here you go, my lovelies.

I love fan art, and reward those who make me some.

The Prologue is a new format for me; I am experimenting with it.

I would also love a Beta reader.

* * *

Safe: It was warm and safe. The only sound was a constant thumping, sometimes it sped up, sometimes it slowed. It was constant though. Kathleen loved it.

* * *

Voices: another sound was heard. It was the sound of voices. She loved them, especially the child's voice.

* * *

(Re)born: Some time later she was ejected from the warm, safe place. She stared blearily up at a person and realized that she had been reborn.

"Congratulations, It's a boy!"

Wait… what?

* * *

Discoveries: "This is your new baby brother. Say hello to Nicklas, Levi." Kathleen stared up at the blurry image of 'her' older brother in this life. 'She' now knew where 'she' was.

* * *

Acceptance: Kathleen soon accepted the fact that despite the fact that she had been a 29 year old woman in the past life, she was now a he. He refused the name Nicklas, mentally, though. He chose to call himself Nanashi. It was Japanese for 'one without a name. Or no-name.

* * *

Brother: Nanashi adored his mother hen of a big brother. It was oddly adorable that Levi, the future Lance Corporal insisted that he feed Nanashi at every meal for the infant. Levi had a brother-complex. Ha!

* * *

Loss 1: when Nanashi was one and a half, and Levi was six, almost seven, their parents died in an accident. Nanashi wept for his brothers lost innocence.

"Don't cry, Nicklas. I'll take care of you always. I promise." That promise would be broken viciously.

* * *

Thug: By the time he was ten Levi had a reputation of a thug. Nanashi, at age five was called an angel by the old ladies.

* * *

Loss 2: When Levi was 15 and Nanashi was 10, Levi was finally arrested. Both brothers wept that night at the loss of the other. Sleep did not come easily for a long time.

* * *

Shiganshina: Nanashi liked Shiganshina. He had left Wall Shina a month before and was amazed at how much the poor village felt like home. Levi would have loved it. too bad in five years it would be destroyed.

* * *

Bullies: Nanashi hated bullies. So as a kind of service to the doomed village he kept the bullies and thugs in line. At ten, he was good like that.

* * *

Brats 1: one day when he was 11 Nanashi was walking along looking at the evacuation boats when he saw a beat up Eren Yeager fall into the water. Nanashi jumped in and saved him without a second thought.

* * *

Brats 2: Nanashi carried the shivering six year old back to his home. he had wrapped Eren up in the oversized blue cloak Levi had stolen for him when he was four. His mother and Father were both out, but Mikasa and Armin were both there.

"Eren! Who did this to you, I'll kill them!" the six year old girl growled when she caught sight of Eren.

"Who are you?" Armin asked Nanashi as Mikasa fussed over Eren.

"I'm Nanashi."

"That's a weird name. I'm Eren Yeager. Thanks for saving me." Eren finally found his voice.

"I'm Mikasa Ackerman."

"Armin Arlert. What does Nanashi mean?"

"Nanashi means 'One without a name'. Or literally 'No Name' It's Japanese. Japan is a nation far away from here beyond the ocean." With those word fate and destiny forever changed, for good or ill. The world spun on, and change began.

* * *

I hope you like this. Leave a review and let me know what you think!

I got the name Nanashi from a Gundam wing/AC fanfic where Trowa went by that for a while. It just stuck with me.

Levi is five years older than Nanashi and ten years older that Eren.

Ja ne!


	2. Chapter One: The Fall of Shiganshina

In a Name

I love fan art, and reward those who make me some.

I know that I have not given a description of Nanashi yet, that's because he looks just like Levi, but with hair so black it has a blue sheen to it and he is two inches shorter. His hair is also styled like Eren's. His eyes are cobalt blue.

I am doing this story by arc and episode, so the Trost Arc will be all one chapter. Just like the Shiganshina Arc is this chapter, along with a little bit of Nanashi's life in Shiganshina.

I forgot to mention his birthday it is April first. This will lend to the fact that he views his own life as one big cosmic joke. The fact that Levi's birthday is freaking Christmas adds to that fact even more, and to his brother complex. The brother complex that they both share.

I also messed with Mikasa's time line a bit and moved her parent's murders back to when she was four. I am also making Armin the youngest.

The chapters are in regular format from now on.

I am kinda disappointed about the lack of response to this story. As an author, it is disheartening to get so little attention for this story.

Thank you to FateMorgan for their review.

Thank you to:

NightWindAlchemist

Roningirlkisa

Terisa-Umi

And let's not forget:

tobimadaraisawsome666

For the Favorites. You guys are awesome, I would love it if you guys would leave a review, though.

Sorry for the info dump.

I would love a Beta reader, too.

Disclaimer: I do not own. If I did, Eren/Levi would be freaking cannon!

* * *

Chapter One: Growing Up and the Fall of Shiganshina.

Nanashi sighed as he patched up a now eight year old Eren Yeager, who had gotten beat up some local bullies that were picking on Armin. "Baka gaki!*" The twelve, nearly thirteen year old hissed in annoyance, startling the deep in thought eight year old.

"Nani? Ah, gomen**" Eren replied, using some of the Japanese that Nanashi taught him and the other two in secret.

"Damn brat, you have to stop doing things like this. I won't be around to patch you up forever, you know." Nanashi scolded him lightly while wiping blood off of his face. "you know, you're worse than Levi, at times." Nanashi chuckled lightly.

"Levi?" Eren asked.

"My older brother. He's eighteen, now. I miss him terribly. At least I have you brats to take care of, though." Nanashi winked at Eren. "Levi is also in the Survey Corps. I'm going to someday join him." He said with a sad smile.

"Why didn't you join with him?" Eren asked as Nanashi bandaged a cut on his leg.

"He had been arrested and then picked up by Commander Erwin Smith of the Survey Corps. My brother and I are Street Rats. I'm also way nicer." Nanashi explained as he finished patching Eren up. "I've decided that I'm going to teach you how to fight."

"Really? What about Mikasa and Armin?" Eren asked as the two stood up and Nanashi put his blue cloak back on.

"I'll teach them too, thou, Armin is not made for fighting. He is more a strategist than a fighter." Nanashi explained. He laughed at the irony as Armin ran up to them yelling about the Survey Corps coming to Shiganshina for a recruitment thing.

* * *

Nanashi stood in the front with Eren, Mikasa and Armin. They were surrounded by adults as they gathered to see the Survey Corps. Nanashi felt his breath catch as they came into view. Erwin was in the front along with Levi, who was right next to him. They were on horses. He felt tears start running down his face. It was not long before Levi caught sight of Nanashi, as did Erwin.

Before Nanashi turned away from them and dragged Eren and the other two way he mouthed three words to his brother

"I'm so sorry."

* * *

Nanashi was fourteen when Grisha took him outside of the wall. He had said that he needed some help and that Nanashi was the only one of the children that was old enough to help. Nanashi had a bad feeling about it, Grisha had an almost desperate look to him. They had made it to a small but deep cave that no Titan could get into.

"You are like a son to me, Nanashi. I knew your Mother. I actually helped deliver you." Grisha said to the teen.

"Oh?" Nanashi said as dread filled him, Grisha had taken out a syringe filled with a red liquid.

"Yes. That is why I am sorry for what I am about to do to you. My father had been researching how to fight the Titans. This is the results of his work. I hope you understand one day." Grisha told him. "He also had this. I don't know what it truly is, though he called it 'The Phoenix Lament' it makes a mournful cry when it is activated. Grisha placed a Necklace around Nanashi's neck. It was made off Solid gold and looked like the one necklace from Final Fantasy XIII, but with two crossed circles surrounding a red and orange swirled spherical gemstone the size of a marble. Nanashi tweaked the rings and they moved together, producing a beautiful, but haunting cry that sounded like the song of a bird. The lament of a Phoenix.

"I understand, now, even though I will not forgive you." Nanashi said as Grisha injected the liquid into his body.

Pain was all he knew before darkness overtook him.

* * *

Nanashi was now fifteen and the others were ten. Nanashi watched detachedly as the events of the Start of the series played out. Eren had just ran off from his mother after his father left.

"Nanashi, Watch out for them." Carla asked him after Mikasa ran after Eren.

"Always, Carla. Thank you for everything." Nanashi left her to her confusion from his parting words.

* * *

Nanashi ran through the crowds, looking for Armin. he caught sight of Levi evacuating people, who then caught sight of him. Nanashi grabbed The Phoenix Lament and tweaked the rings, the mournful song rang out and Nanashi ran away from his brother and out of sight. It wasn't time for their reunion yet.

* * *

Nanashi ran with Armin as chaos surged around them. He had decided to find Armin because he was a selfish bastard and did not wnt to witness the death of the only mother figure he had ever truly known.

"Nanashi! What about Eren and Mikasa?" Armin asked as Nanashi pulled him along to the boats.

"They'll be fine. Hannes will take care of them!" he yelled over the noise.

"How do you know that?" Armin asked him.

"Just trust me, please!" Nanashi said as tears built up in his eyes. "I promise everything will be okay! I'll take care of all three of you, you just have to trust me to do that!" Nanashi said pleadingly as the guilt threatened to overwhelm him.

"I do, Nanashi. You have never let us down before. I trust you." Armin told the older teen.

"Thank you." Nanashi whispered, his resolve renewed.

* * *

The group of four were now in an abandoned building in Wall Rose. Nanashi had his arms around Mikasa and Armin with Eren's head resting lap. He felt the guilt well up once more as he thought about the fact Eren would become a Titan shifter a few days from then. He had just lost his home and mother, and would soon lose some of his humanity. Nanashi knew that it had to happen, that he could not save everyone, but it hurt none the less.

He smelled the fear before the three started showing the signs of their nightmares. Nanashi let himself smile a wry and rueful smile as he sang the first opening to the Anime.

Little did he know that the song would inspire courage in the three children for years to come.

* * *

There is the chapter! Hope you liked it. Let me know what you think!

Translations:

Baka gaki: stupid/dumb/idiot brat

Nani? Ah, gomen: What? Ah, sorry.


End file.
